Awards 2007 Beyond the Saga Fanfic Awards Excerpt Thread!

Hello and welcome to the 2007 Beyond the Saga Awards Excerpt Thread! In the following posts you will find a sampling of some of our finest authors as chosen by you, their peers and friends. Sit back and enjoy reading them!

Just in case you need a reminder about who you may find in this thread:

2007 NOMINEES

GENRE
Best Alternate Universe
Exodus by YodaKenobi
Insatiable by JadeLotus

Best Canon
Don?t Tease Your Brother by ginchy
The Blood of the Hand by MirandaFair
The Making of an Emperor by Darth_Lex
Severed Hand by YodaKenobi
The Grey Space by Knight_Aragorn
Father-in-Law by ginchy
One Sword Rising by loneastronomer

Best Action
Have Blaster, Will Travel by Quiet_Mandalorian
Exodus by YodaKenobi
Gods of Dark andLight by Darth_Marrs
Sacrifice by Jedi-Ant

Best Drama
Exodus by YodaKenobi
My Brother, Myself by Jade Pilot
Sacrifice by Jedi-Ant
Helplessness by SakuraTsukikage
Beloved Deceiver by VaderLVR64

Best Romance
Path Of Dreams by Flowerlady
All These Years by TelannaTani
Broken Promises **Dear Diary 2007 Challenge by Jade_Pilot
Bared Soles: Three Days of Snow by Jade_Max
One Thousand Tears by Qwi_Xux

Best Humor
Dim Lord of the Sith: The Chronicles of Darth Dumbass by YodaKenobi
Gratuitous Darkness by DarthSanctimonious
Thimblerig Gambit by PonyTricks
The Sadder but Wiser Girl for Me by redtenko

Best All Around
Exodus by YodaKenobi
The Family Album by BigFatty
Jaded Drabb

 

GENRE
Best Alternate Universe

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[b][color=indigo][link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/26099579/p1/?704] Exodus[/link] by YodaKenobi[/color][/b]

[i]The tumultuous winds are again raking Jaina Solo's face and tearing at the roots of her long brunette hair, splaying across her eyes in a quivering veil that frequently blocks her view. Her bones ached with the effort of enduring this place and she wishes she was somewhere else? anywhere else.

The body on the ground is already writhing and screaming, the acrid smoke rising from his wound vanishing within the tempest as his screams are drowned out by the deafening roar. And standing over him is the other man she's become accustomed to seeing in this nightmarish realm, his blinding lightsaber ready to strike at her.

For the first time, Jaina looks down at her boots and sees that she's standing upon the familiar dull gray plane of durasteel. [/i]Ship plating? [i] It didn't make any sense.

Both of the men's faces are obscured by the undulating haze around her and the emotions swirling between the trio are a mix of love, betrayal, and heart-wrenching sorrow, all coiled together in a murkiness that twists Jaina's insides and leaves her sick. But as she raises her eyes, the young Jedi Knight notices something else. Though she can't tell which between the blinding glare of the lightsabers and the miasma smearing her vision with tears, she is suddenly certain that one of the men is Wrev Caster.

For a moment, Jaina wonders if the dream will be different this time. If she will see clearly the face of her rival and the victim, and glimpse the outcome of the conflict? but she doesn't.

The dream ends as it always does. With her enemy's blade coming down on her and the galaxy erupting into a blinding flare of white light. [/i]









A startled cry escaped Jaina Solo's pink lips as she woke with a start, sitting up immediately in her panic and nearly leaping from her bunk all together. She immediately regretted the action when, despite her racing heart pounding against her eardrums and the rush of blood and adrenaline pulsing through her system, she heard the man's voice from the bunk adjacent hers in the [i]Millennium Falcon's[/i] crew quarters.

"Jaina? What's wrong?"

Jag was already sliding out of his bunk and moved to hover over her, looking at her as if she'd just taken a piece of blast shrapnel to the head.

"Nothing... Just a dream," she managed, her throat surprisingly dry.

"Are you sure? You sounded absolutely terrified... Blasters, Jaina? you're shaking!"

"It's nothing, [i]really[/i]," the Jedi Knight insisted, pushing against the chest of Jag's black uniform.

"Okay." He took a step back. "Care to tell me what in your dream could possibly have startled you so horribly?"

"Honestly Jag, you're worse than Threepio sometimes," Jaina hissed. She swung her legs around so they were hanging off of the bunk and felt her socks make contact with the deck. "Dreams are private."

"I'm sorry... I'm just concerned."

Jaina was still bleary eyed, reaching down and pawing at the dark objects she'd left on the floor when she'd crawled into bed. She found the synthleather tongue of one of her flight boots and lifted the heavy piece up, squeezing one slender foot insides.

Why was she being so hostile? Because the dream had flummoxed her again or because she was genuinely frightened by it? Or maybe because she was simply afraid of discussing it with Jag?

Jaina finished cinching up her boots and looked across the crew quarters to find Jag watching her.

"Look, I'm sorry. It was just a dream and I needed to catch my breath. I shouldn't have spoken to you that way."

"Forget it."

"C'mon. Let's get some caf." Jaina pushed herself to her feet. "I need to wake up."

She ambled out of the crew quarters and made her way to the beverage dispenser in the main hold, pulling a mug from the cabinet above along th

 

Best Canon - part 1

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[b][color=indigo][link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25704517/p1/?0]Don?t Tease Your Brother[/link] by ginchy[/color][/b]

[i]?Don?t Tease Your Brother? seeks to answer the question of how the Solos learned of Luke and Mara?s engagement after their return from Nirauan. [/i]

**

Seeking to announce her presence, Leia cast out for her brother in the Force, frowning when she realized he was shielding himself. And not just with his every-day shields, no?this? What was he doing?

She?d not seen much of him since he?d returned with Mara and the Caamas Document in tow, muttering something about telling them more about where they?d found it and what they had been doing later. Later came and went, and still she had not seen her brother, and had barely spoken to him except to tell him of the peace treaty and receive his enthusiastic hug in response.

?What are you up to, little brother?? Leia whispered, arriving and pressing his door announcer, reaching once more for his presence.

A pique of surprise bled out from the tightly woven shields of the Jedi Master, and Leia frowned. Turning her ear towards the door, she could faintly make out quiet murmurings? Who was in there with him?

?Leia!? the door slid open, and there was her brother, hurriedly wrapping her into an embrace.

?Luke,? she leaned into his hug, squeezing him before stepping back to look at him. ?How are you??

?Ah?fine, fine,? Luke jerked is head slightly, almost as if he wanted to glance back over his shoulder, but didn?t, brushing his hair back from his forehead, instead.

Leia showed him a confused smile, standing in the doorway of his apartment. Looking at him, she noticed that the front of his tunic was buttoned incorrectly, as if he?d thrown it on quickly, and missed the first button. His hair was sticking in odd angles, not helped by the hand he?d just run through it.

?Oh? Were you sleeping?? she asked, wondering why she was still hovering in his doorway.

?What?oh, um?? Luke appeared lost for words.

?For gods? sake, Luke, let her in,? Mara Jade said, appearing behind Luke almost as if out of thin air, smiling over his shoulder at Leia. ?Hello,? she gave a small smile.

?Mara,? Leia smiled, skirting around Luke and walking into his suite. ?I thought you?d be back on the [i]Wild Karrde[/i] by now.?

?Karrde gave me a little time, the peace treaty, and all,? Mara answered, following Leia further into the room.

?That?s nice,? Leia said, meaning it, thinking that it probably would be nice for Mara to have some time off. But did a woman like Mara ever vacation?

Leia sat on Luke?s settee, looking up at the man and woman who stood now, inches apart from one another facing her. She narrowed her eyes at Mara?s attire? the trousers were definitely hers, Leia recognized the stylish, yet practical cut that Mara often wore, but the shirt? it was a bit too large, and white?gapped open at the collar? it almost reminded Leia of one of [i]Luke?s[/i] old shirts?

Her hair, too, was different than she normally wore it, not in a braid, but loose, slightly mussed, as if she had been running her fingers through it.

She? or [i]someone[/i]?

Leia?s eyes widened.

[hr][hr]
[b][color=indigo][link=http://boards.theforce.net/a/b1/25063409/]Father-in-Law[/link] by ginchy[/color][/b]

[i]The entire vignette ?Father-in-Law? fits within excerpt length. This vig explores Mara Jade Skywalker?s knowledge and thoughts on Anakin Skywalker.[/i]

**

The holo was not of good quality, distorted and grainy, but the subject of it seemed to transcend that, his blue-eyed gaze burning through the years and staring out at all who looked at him almost daringly, imploring the viewer to make their own guess about his life, and who he was.

Green eyes stared into the not-quite-familiar blue eyes speculatively, too used to seeing those eyes shielded behind the dark lenses of an imposing mask. No trace of that mask sat upon the aesthetic features

 

Best Canon - part 2

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[b][color=indigo] [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=21310684&brd=10477]The Blood of the Hand[/link] by MirandaFair [/color][/b]

[b]Author?s Note: Seeking refuge on Corellia, Mara and Corran find cover in Rostek Horn?s estate. Having trouble sleeping, Mara and Rostek have a late-night snack and conversation in hopes of getting to know each other better.[/b]

Mara didn't say anything for a moment. "You're the only family Corran has left."

"Besides the one he inherited from his wife's side?" A glint of mischief sparkled in those blue eyes. "Yes, I am."

"He's lucky to have you," she said after finishing the last of her honeybread.

"No." Rostek considered what his guest had said. "I'm lucky to have him."

Mara smiled as much as she could at twenty minutes after midnight. The old regret of never knowing her family returned, but for only a moment. If she ever had a grandfather, she hoped he was like Rostek Horn.

"What about you?" Rostek asked intently. "What about your loved ones?"

Mara looked around the nearest line of flowers. She noticed the beautiful roses that earlier had been blooms of reds and oranges were gathered shut. Even in the warmth of their artificial setting, the buds pulled closer to their cores, protecting themselves from the chill of the approaching winter.

"I never knew my family."

She could feel his considering gaze. Absently, Mara brushed off the crumbs that had fallen onto her robe.

"Family," Rostek said leaning forward in his chair, "isn't just through bonds of blood. Family can also be the people you decide to surround yourself with."

Mara hesitated, but she nodded.

"The picture in your office," Mara pushed her cup aside. She had been patient long enough. She had to know. "The holoimage of the spear-like tower...what is it? What's it called?"

"Oh," Rostek's brow lifted, his eyes focused past Mara to some distant memory. "That building..."

Mara scooted to the edge of her seat and waited.

Visibly shaking himself out of his reverie, Rostek smiled at Mara. "That my dear, is the old Corellian Jedi Temple."

Mara made a face. "Jedi Temple?" she repeated, not entirely understanding. "But I thought all Jedi places of meeting were destroyed during the reign on the Empire."

Rostek laughed resentfully. "Well, the holoimage you saw was taken during its height in the years of the Old Republic." After he took a sip of tea, his demeanor became more serious. "Once the Emperor declared the 'betrayal' of the Jedi, the Empire did wreak their malice on the temple. They torched the building and murdered any Jedi they came into contact with. To this day, it remains a scorched skeletal tomb. Where there once used to be Jedi wandering its grounds, now only sightseers walk on guided tours. In terms of physicality, yes, the Imperials did destroy it. But they couldn't take away its meaning, they couldn't cleanse the universe of all Force-using citizens. You're living proof of that."

She knew there was more to his story. Remembering the sense of familiarity she had felt when first arriving on the Estate, Mara said, "Can I ask, Director Horn --?"

"Please," he urged, eyes brightening, "please call me Rostek."

"Rostek," Mara amended, "are you Force-sensitive?"

"Force-sensitive?" Rostek repeated. "No, my dear Ms Jade. I do not have any Force talents." The sad chuckle from before vanished. "Corran never told you?"

"Never told her what?"

A new voice interrupted their discussion.

Simultaneously, Mara and Rostek glanced over at the entrance. Standing there was Corran Horn who was holding an umbrella to protect himself from the rain.

"Ah," Rostek said delightfully. "More company!"

Corran came up to the table, shaking off the water droplets as he went. He took a seat next to his grandfather, along with a piece of bread.

"So..." he said to Mara in-between bites. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Mara assured him. "I'm fine."

Corran's green gaze flicked to

 

Best Action

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25907113/p1]Sacrifice[/link] [b][color=indigo]by Jedi-Ant[/color][/b]

[i][b]Excerpt from Chapter 25: Altering The Past, page 12. [/b] [/i]

She inhaled sharply, the quick intake of breath sucking in her stomach just enough to narrowly avoid a dangerous amphistaff swipe.

The Yuuzhan Vong were all around her; scarred and mutilated bodies as far as the eye could see.

A sea of angry aliens and bloodied weapons... and she was in the middle of it.

Tahiri ducked and weaved under attack after attack, spinning her own blade furiously from side to side, desperate to cut a gap in the enemy?s blockade.

The young girl screamed as a stray coufee sliced down the length of her exposed right arm, ripping through her armoured jumpsuit and severing muscles and tendons.

She retaliated instantly, adrenaline pulling her through the blinding pain.

[i]Slash.

Hack.

Jab. [/i]

Two warriors fell, their open wounds still emanating smoke.

[i]Parry.

Cut.

Spike. [/i]

And another one, rolling around at her feet, both arms missing.

Her emerald blade was moving so fast in her hands that it was humming, illuminating the faces of her enemies in a ghostly pale green glow, before she removed them from their torsoes.

Tahiri had tuned out of the battle meld long ago, the pressures of her current fight so great, that it was taking all of her strength and force awareness just to keep herself alive.

She only hoped that someone would come to her aide soon. She didn?t know how much longer she could keep this up.

The Vong were learning ? coming at her harder and faster, and chopping at her legs and ankles with their living weapons.

Tahiri found herself in a continuous leap, jumping back in the air as soon as her booted feet had hit the ground, each time getting closer to being collected by the jarring spikes.

Sweat was pouring out of every orifice, mixing with the blood that was leaking out of her numerous wounds, and wafting a sickly sweet smell into her flaring nostrils.

The saccharine scent was so overpowering that it was causing Tahiri to gag.

An amphistaff plummeted through the horde of armoured bodies, heading straight for the young Jedi?s groin. She deftly caught it between her upper thighs, clamping her legs shut around the writhing organism and twisting it out of her attacker?s grasp.

Tahiri used the momentum to flick the alien weapon into her free hand, shuddering as the smooth life form coiled itself around her forearm. The texture of the shaft seared through the pads on her fingers as she gripped it, bringing a memory she never knew she had to the surface.

It was a memory of her false life; one that had been implanted by the very enemy that stood before her.

Tahiri looked down at the staff in her hand and smiled wickedly. She knew how to use this.

With her lightsaber in one hand and amphistaff in the other, the shaped Jedi began cutting down her enemies with practiced ease, the latter weapon flicking around the pack of warriors and spitting poisonous venom like it had a mind of its own.

The part of her mind that was now occupied by the mythical persona of Riina took control then, pirouetting on the spot, with both swords whipping in a circle above her head.

She splayed her wrists mid-turn, letting the molten light slice through one warrior and the now rigid edge of the living staff sever another at the neck. Dark crimson blood rained down on her as she ducked under the headless body, plunging the venomous tip of the stolen weapon up through the centre of a towering soldier.

She evaded a lightning fast jab from a coufee just in time, the organic blade slicing so close to her earlobe that she could feel the cool rush of wind its movement produced.

?That was too close!? she mumbled, wiping the beads of sweat and blood from her forehead and setting her eyes with a hardened resolve.

Riina took over again, enhancing Tahiri?s

 

Best Drama

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/23024400/p1/?70]Helplessness[/link] [b][color=indigo] by SakuraTsukikage[/color][/b]

?Sithspit!? Corran shook his head as he rubbed his hand across his mouth, wiping away the blood dribbling from it. ?Hold that kid down, or he?s going to have us unconscious on the ground before long!?

?I am holding him down,? Mara Jade Skywalker shot back. ?Why don?t I let go so we can see what happens then?? She twisted Zekk?s wrist with vicious efficiency as she shoved his arm back against the bed. The young Jedi whimpered but didn?t stop fighting, his trembling, sweat-soaked body bucking and heaving under Mara as he attempted to throw her off.

?Please do not injure him further,? Cilghal said in her almost-maddeningly calm voice from where she stood by Zekk?s side, attempting to touch him with the Force and soothe him into a healing trance.

?I will if I have to,? Mara said grimly, and shook Zekk maybe a little harder than was necessary as she spoke directly to him. ?This isn?t helping anyone, boy?you?re supposed to be a Jedi Knight. Snap out of it!?

Zekk braced his legs under Mara?s torso and kicked back hard, but she wrapped her own muscular limbs around his and held him down forcibly. ?[i]Shavit[/i],? she swore. ?His belly-wound?s starting to bleed again.? She braced her hands on either side of Zekk's tossing head, her fingers clenching in the tangled fall of loose dark silk, and shook him again. ?Come on, Knight Zekk, are you [i]trying[/i] to kill yourself??

Zekk?s moan of protest caught in his throat and died in a fractured, muffled sound that sounded like a swallowed sob. His arms flailed against her; his right, with a dislocated shoulder and elbow and a fractured wrist that hadn?t yet seen real treatment, flopped useless at his side.

?This isn?t helping anything,? Corran muttered.

?Thanks for that statement of the obvious, Horn,? Mara growled. ?Got anything more blindingly apparent to say before the boy fights himself to death because somewhere in that mind of his he thinks we?re trying to hurt him??

?Let me try something.? Corran came a little closer and reached out a hand to wrap his fingers around Zekk?s bare ankle where his medical trousers had ridden up his leg. Concentrating on the feeling of dry, feverish skin beneath his own, he protected a clear illusion of Jaina Solo wrapping her arms around a younger, startled Zekk, whispering something in his ear. It was a scene Corran had caught stumbled upon one day at the Jedi Temple shortly before the start of the Vong War, but he hadn?t recalled it until now.

Zekk stiffened, then redoubled his efforts to break free with a choked scream.

Corran dropped his hand with bewilderment.

?Great job,? Mara snapped. ?Set him off even more, why don?t you?? She grabbed both Zekk's hands, her fingers tightening around his wrists.

Apparently that last touch was the breaking point for the delirious young Jedi. His eyes snapped open, deep pools of two-tone emerald-green torment, blank and glassy with pain and shock and glittering with fever. He stared up into Mara?s face for a frozen second, his eyes going even wider and his breaths coming shallow in obvious fear, and Corran suddenly knew that it wasn?t Mara he was seeing?

And Mara was thrown off Zekk?s thrashing form by a surge of the Force so powerful that Corran staggered when the push hadn?t even been directed at him, and Cilghal was sent stumbling a few steps back against the wall of the small medical room. Mara hit the wall with a thud and staggered back up to her feet with a groan.

?What the?? Corran began, starting forward.

Zekk?s wild gaze swung around to slide over him. The young Jedi jerked back away from him with a desperation so fierce Corran could taste it and tumbled over the side of the medical bed in an uncontrolled fall. He landed in a tangled heap on the floor, whimpering in pain like a kicked animal, but when Mara started forward he just slammed her a

 

Best Romance

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/25484624/]Path of Dreams [/link] [b][color=indigo] by Flowerlady[/color][/b]

[A/N?from chapter 36]


Hangar, Imperial Palace, Bastion

?You?re not having an affair with her?? She looked up into his eyes.

?No,? he firmly but quietly said, ?She is a friend and I trust her impeccably.?

She looked away ashamed, but he reached under her chin and turned her face up to his again. He smiled and Jaina?s heart skipped a beat. ?Jaina, she goes with me often because she is good at what she does. She helps me keep the administrative end of what I do straight. I may be a good tactician, I may be able to fly my way out of a dogfight, but I hate the datacard shuffle.?

?I?m sorry, Jag,? she didn?t know what else to say.

He smiled again and announced, thankfully changing the subject, ?I brought you back something.?

?You?you brought me something??

Then he let his hand fall away from her chin and Jaina?s skin tingled where his warm fingers had been. He turned and said as he gestured toward the ship that was to the left of them, ?Yes. I think that you will like it.? Somehow Jaina had completely missed the beautiful ship in her fit of jealousy.

Jaina gasped, ?Jag??

?She?s yours. This is the first of the class, in fact. Not the prototype but the first one off the line, though I had them up-grade it some. I got the call not long after Cem contacted me that she was ready. She was built at the shipyards on Yaga Minor. I had requested the first one that was built since it was the first ship fully designed and built under my supervision as Head of State. I came up with the idea to boost production of non-military craft. The economy of the planet needs some lifting. I know it might seem crass to find excitement in something as luxurious, but a lot of beings out there would buy these despite the war??

?Jag,? She turned her eyes back to his, ?you?re giving me this ship??

Jag stepped before her and Jaina was shocked to see the emotion in his eyes. ?Jaina, I?ve made a lot of mistakes. I?m offering this as a peace offering?and as an engagement gift. I?d like to see where things go with us. What you said the other night?did you mean it??

She held her breath, ?Jag, I?I don?t know what to say.?

He sighed and she realized she hadn?t answered his question. He began to turn and Jaina made a decision. She opened to the Force and let herself sense what he was feeling. She gasped when the truth came rushing to her senses. He turned and gazed at her, his expression one of jumbled emotions. She reached up and laid her hand on his cheek, then she slowly laid the other one on his other cheek, cupping his handsome face.

Suddenly, breathing hard she quietly asked, ?What?s her name??

His breath seemed to escape him all at once, ?[i]Heart of a Goddess.[/i]?

?What?? she all but squeaked.

?You can change the name but?she?s your ship.?

?I?I?? she was speechless as she stared into Jag?s amazing eyes.

?Jaina,? his hand touched her face again and she leaned into the touch. She let her hands slide around his neck and she held her breath as they gazed into each other?s eyes. He murmured again but before Jaina could register what he said his lips brushed hers. She instantly responded; her heart full of the love she felt for him. She pulled him closer and he wrapped his arm around her waist while the hand on her cheek slid into her long hair, tilting her head to meet his hungry lips.

The kiss was passionate and left them both breathless at the end. He pulled away and shakily murmured, ?Jaina, I don?t want to rush this. We have a lot of healing to do between us. But I want you to know that regardless of how much I wanted to hate you at one time, I was never able to. You have always been the goddess that tortured my dreams and my heart. Jaina, I never stopped loving you.?

?Oh, Jagged,? she fell against his chest and Jag wrapped his arms around her. Her words were muffled by his tunic and she felt

 

Best Humor

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=25848196&brd=10477&replies=59]The Sadder but Wiser Girl for Me[/link] [b][color=indigo]by redtenko[/color][/b]

From Part 1

?You know, I can?t help but feel a little responsible for this mess,? Wedge mused, looking around the room.

Corran nodded. ?I know what you mean,? he said. ?Guy?s got three married Corellian friends to help him out. If he hasn?t won the girl yet, the problem is obviously with us.?

?It?s not my fault,? groused Han from the sofa. He looked over his shoulder at the dark lump occupying the far chair by the window. ?How ya doin? there, kid??

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, sat sunk impossibly far into the cushions, his chin molded to his collarbone. The only reply Han received was a very muffled, pitiful groan.

?See? He?s fine,? Han winced, turning back to the Rogues in his living room. ?But this is definitely a delicate situation. Possibly dangerous, depending on how your wife?s handling things on her end,? he looked toward Corran, who was checking his chrono for the umpteenth time.

Wedge was about ready to slap the chrono from his wrist, Horn had him so agitated. ?I?m sure Mirax will call if Jade decides to renew her vow to kill Luke,? he assured the group.

Corran grunted and moved to refill his drink, nerves reacting in a way his friends usually associated with a visit from Booster Terrik.

Wedge rolled his eyes and exchanged a look with Chewbacca. ?Anyway,? he began, having every indication of bringing the men back to the subject at hand: Luke?s disastrously public blunder with Mara Jade. As far as he was concerned, the women were in charge of calming the former Emperor?s Hand, and Luke was the responsibility of his brothers in arms. ?Luke?s obviously got to act fast before she jumps planet,? he reminded them. ?But he needs some means of approaching her without getting his ass kicked straight to??

?I?m sitting right here!? Luke moaned from his chair.

?Just trying to help, buddy,? Han assured the despairing Jedi while biting back a smirk. He hadn?t heard Luke whine like that in a long time.

---

?Come on, Kid,? Han urged, his voice calling the others back to attention. ?He?s right, about your attitude?you?re over thinking all this.?

?I?m over thinking?? Luke echoed flatly.

?You are! This is not the attitude that got your sister out of the Death Star,? the former smuggler reminded him. His gut told him he?d hooked onto a good analogy, and he went with it. ?If you?d given up the rescue idea before you even started, none of us would be here today.?

There was a thoughtful pause, then, ?If you recall, my impulsiveness got us walled into the detention block by squads of storm troopers,? Luke said. He was determined not to be cheered up. ?Leia had to save us with her garbage-shoot idea.?

Han?s nose involuntarily cringed at the memory, and Chewie laughed.

?Then some creature tried to choke me, and we nearly got flattened when Threepio turned off the comlink,? Luke listed. ?Over-thinking is sounding pretty good from here. I think I?ve been impulsive enough for a lifetime?if I didn?t prove it back then I certainly did tonight.?

Corran glared over the rim of his now empty glass. ?I think what tonight proves is you shouldn?t bottle up your emotions.?

?There is no emotion, there?? The entire room, including Tycho, groaned loudly with enough exasperation to drown out the rest of the Jedi code. Luke?s shoulders hunched peevishly at the interruption. He grabbed the arms of the chair and at last pushed himself upright.

?Come on, Luke,? entreated Wedge. ?The Force can?t possibly have a problem with people being happy. Seems to me happy people function better, and what?s the Force gonna do with Jedi who don?t function right??

?What? That doesn?t make?I function!? Luke felt a surge of indignance, but wasn?t sure where to aim it.

---
From Part 3

?Oh, Han?? Leia let out a long sigh. Her headache was back, right between the

 

Best All Around

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=23931438&brd=10477]Galaxy Grey[/link] [b][color=indigo]by The_Face[/color][/b]

?If Sonar?s idea of a joke is to send us to our untimely death in a convention of assassins, I need to have a word with him about his sense of humor,? Remy moaned.

?I don?t think he would do that, not with us helping him out on this case. Having us killed would be both unhelpful and completely out of profile for him,? Jav replied across the aisle. The banner behind him was ripped to shreds by a stray repeater blast over his head.

[...]

Remy shook his head. ?It wasn?t a serious hypothesis, Jav. I?m just a little stressed out by the big melee of professional killers over there. The lack of caf doesn?t help either.? He peeked over the top of his cover and shouted over the sounds of combat, ?Can I get a caf over here? Service!?

?Why [i]do[/i] I ever take you seriously? Actually, I don?t know why I listen to you at all,? Jav said. A wounded Nimbanel staggered by, leaving a trail of blood.

Remy swallowed bile at the sight before speaking. ?Hey, Mr. Senile, you?re conveniently forgetting all the times I?ve been the Voice of Reason.?

?One, [i]you?re[/i] the older one of us; and two, I don?t count examples during which the laws of the galaxy were repealed.?

?You?re in denial,? Remy sneered as a dagger imbedded itself in the table he was hiding behind. ?The i?Lenmef case. I didn?t want anything to do with that one. I didn?t want to dive into that river for evidence on that pirate, Gunmetal Gellak. I didn?t want to go into that cantina on Duro during the Justice Killer case. I??

?Yet who?s the one whose mid-life crisis got us into [i]this?[/i]? Jav asked.

?Don?t you dare say those words,? growled the other.

?It?s you, Remy! We?re too old for this! But you, nerfherder, grabbed me and Naoe and tossed us into it.?

?As I recall, you two were volunteers. So who?s the bigger fool, follower??

Jav put a hand to his ear. ?What?s that? Oh, apparently the sight of your goatee sent that Trandoshan into a rage at the misuse of pretentious facial hair. I hear the Empire?s working on a new kind of laser to take that thing off your face from a hundred meters.?

?You?re going a long way for poor insults, clean freak.?

?And your primitive comments are so incredibly witty you must have hired [i]at least[/i] ten Kowakian monkey-lizards to bang on keypads to come up with them!?

?I guess I have better things to do than come up with biting remarks ? oh that?s right, it?s called having a [i]life[/i].?

?That can be remedied.?

?Are you threatening me??

?Do I have to, or would you vomit just thinking about fighting back??

Remy threw his blaster down. ?Then come over here and let?s settle this like physically unremarkable middle-aged men!?

Meanwhile, the battle began to slow to an uneasy ceasefire. It started in the middle and spread as a ripple effect. The feuding attendees turned inward to the disturbance. At the eye of the temporarily quieted storm stood the explosives peddler ? again in his trenchcoat. He held a thermal detonator in each hand and was shouting.

?End this! What are we, animals? This is supposed to be a time of camaraderie and good business, not the barbaric collection of common crooks some may think it is. We?re better than this, mates! Let?s show them that by setting aside our differences for a few days. We?re a [i]society[/i]. With all that entails. Explain this concept to your more trigger-happy neighbors, if you must. Let?s aim for peaceful civilization, mates, or I swear I?ll blow us all to vapor. Thank you.?

With that, he walked into the crowd, which began to mill again. The stories of great shots and agonizing escapes resumed. Illegal transactions started back up again. Order had been restored for HitCon.

This was not so, however, with the detectives. Jav stood up to his full height and took a step forward, pressing his chest into the barrel of a he

 

STYLE
Most Underrated - part 1

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[b][color=orangered][link=http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/21158399]The Mechanical Dreams of Nick Solo[/link] by Vongchild[/color][/b]

A/N: [i]Nick Solo was originally created by oldjedinurse for a vignette. He was later willed to me for use in a full-length story. His premise presents him as the autistic-savant fourth child of Han and Leia, born after the Yuuzhan Vong war. As part of this, I made the decision to present Nick?s Force sensitivity as mechanical aptitude rather than empathy. He senses mechanical things around him as ?music,? to add to the effect.[/i]

From his hiding place in the secret compartment, Nick Solo could hear the rhythmic hum of the hyperdrive and the deep bass tones of the engines. He liked the way the tones combined, always meeting at the same time, on the same beat, a constant song. Curling his fingers around the hydrospanner and tapping a tattoo on the handle of the small tool, Nick remembered why he was in the compartment in the first place.

When a mechanical object worked right, it would sing. But if there was an irregularity anywhere, its song would be off. He'd heard the foul bleating of a bad circuit and followed it to the access panel beneath the secret compartment. Once in the smuggling compartments, you could hear the hyperdrives and the engines so much better, and he'd gotten lost in the melody. Now he was back, and fully dedicated to the task at hand.

Nick liked circuits. Circuits were orderly - they followed rules and patterns. Everything mechanical had a set order to it. Even 'droids had some pattern to their actions. After all, they were just circuits and AI chips. And those followed rules and patterns. Machines were so much easier than people. People were loud and unpredictable, their responses wild and erratic. People didn't follow the rules like machines did. Each person had a different rhythm that was subject to change.

But machines didn't change their rhythms, Nick thought, re-securing the wire that had come loose. Machines were kind and easy to understand. If you listened, it was easy to tell what they were saying.

The problem with people was that people didn't listen.

But machines did. Machines always did what they were told, no matter how trivial the action was. They wouldn't skip a crucial step or twist the outcome. Machines listened... and they obeyed. Which was why Nick liked machines more than people. You couldn?t control people, or make sense of their actions, but you could control machines.

The hum of the hyperdrives began to ebb and the engines grew louder. Far off, beyond the ship, Nick heard the loud, raucous noise of New Coruscant. And closer, there were footfalls over his head. Trying to block the horrid noise of the city out, he slipped the lid of the compartment up and poked his head up into the corridor. His nose was less than three inches from the toes of his father?s boots, and he flinched back.

?There you are, kid,? Han Solo said. Nick didn?t look up. His only response was to climb out of the compartment and close the lid again. ?What did you find to fix?? Nick didn?t answer, but that was ok, because Han didn?t expect him to. ?We?ll be on New Coruscant in half an hour.?

[i]Good,[/i] thought Nick silently, and then looking down at the hydrospanner, [i]I have to put this away. It?s supposed to be where it belongs [/i]He turned and started off, somewhat awkwardly on ten-year-old legs that had grown an inch in the last year when he had least expected it, humming the same tune he always had. It went C, G, A, G, B-flat, repeat. As he hummed it, he subconsciously began tapping along with the beat on the handle of the hydrospanner.

Han regarded his son for a moment before turning and walking in the opposite direction.

Nick listened to the music that every bit of mechanical thing in the universe made, and decided that something somewhere was seriously out of tune.

[i

 

Most Underrated - part 2

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[b][color=orangered][link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27069230/]Tell No One[/link] by Blue_but_beautiful[/color][/b]

Unknown to all for now, Mezhan Kwaad, like many shapers daring enough, had long sought answers to questions that the protocols, contained in the shapers? cortexes, could not answer. Cortexes were relative libraries of information accessible only to the shapers via painful means, handed down to them from the gods themselves. Such information told them how to shape the simplest biot, to the most complex. Many could be turned to all manner of useful means?but early on in her mastery, Mezhan Kwaad had sought answers to problems the protocols could not be turned to.
She had, like many of the ambitious, petitioned the Supreme Overlord, that he may ask of the gods to furnish such answers with new protocols. Yet she was given none, rebuked for persistence, threatened for her ingenuity, Mezhan Kwaad had been forced to turn inwards for such answers. Naturally she had done so in secret, in her private chambers concealed from prying eyes within the shaper damutek she had worked toward seeking her own resolutions. Beyond the existing protocols, beyond the gods, it was pure heresy.
Heresy, all Yuuzhan Vong knew abhorrently, lead to dishonourable death. She did not fear death, no.
Indeed, as time had gone on, klekkets turning into endless yearly cycles, she had begun to notice one thing. Surely if no one else had already, would gods who saw all, knew all, not have punished her for her shameful heretical acts? What was she to them after all? Nothing.
There was only one answer kept cropping up each time she asked herself these very questions, daring the gods to smite her for her deeds. It all came back to this ? there were no gods.

The gods were to the Supreme Overlord, what her eight fingered masters hand was to her ? a tool, one that could both bind and divide the masses, a tool to keep order among the castes and castless alike.
Mezhan Kwaad had shared these thoughts with no other, she could not risk it, not yet, but when she had heard Vua Rapuung speak, seen the way she had captivated his attention, she had felt a certain resonance.
The shaper knew better than to assume he would think as she did, the way he had sat there so adamantly proud told her this much. But he had clearly shown much interest in her than a warrior should. This ? attraction? Was that it? ? should perhaps be followed up on.
Mezhan Kwaad knew, of course, of master shapers who had defied such commandments at their own peril. Some had gotten away with it, others were sacrificed soon after,
?As a warning to keep the rest of us in line? ? she thought to herself sadly.
But she saw herself as careful, and should this warrior be willing?oh yes, she liked the banter and small mind games they had played here.

?My work is complete commander, it should take mere days for the coral to form it?s self correctly, according to the growth accelerant I added.? Mezhan Kwaad informed as she rose, her headdress almost serenely still.
Vua Rapuung rose also, examining the fine work as if to glimpse it for the first time.
?I give thanks, Master Mezhan Kwaad, as I shall in my devotions.?

Mezhan Kwaad did not respond to that, instead Vua Rapuung noted, she merely quirked a brow ridge as if delving into her own private amusement once more. This time he decided to address the matter promptly,
?You find something amusing master shaper..? This was no question and he was delighted when his eyes caught sight of her tendrils unfurling all at once, stretching until almost straight like wild amphistaff?s in the groves, reaching for the first tentative rays from worldships nourishing light-fungi.
The warriors heart swelled with triumph one more time, he had managed to catch her at her own game. Now it was he who was once again enthralled.

Stiffened in posture by his comment, Mezhan Kwaad willed away an inward smile of her own. Who could tell what else he could se

 

Most Underrated - part 3

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[color=orangered][b][link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25143220]Old Sins[/link] by sabarte[/b][/color]


<<<A Wraith Squadron AU>>>

Ton Phanan pushed his plate aside and looked over at Wedge. "So I'm curious. Commander, Lieutenants, who do the old-timers think of as the greatest fighter pilot in the galaxy?"

Janson and Antilles exchanged glances. "You're older than I am," Wedge said. "Ask yourself."

"I actually meant pilots of your generation."

Wedge sighed.

"It depends on what you mean by 'greatest pilot'", Wes said. "Pilots die. Good pilots die, often in situations they can't help. Some truly great pilots have more or less stopped flying." He stretched. "But for skill, sheer number of victories and ability to survive horrific odds, I'll go with the man with two Death Stars on his fighter any day of the week."

Wedge rolled his eyes a bit at that, but grinned.

"You're not really taking a historical perspective, Janson." Krill said, terribly amused.

"Oh?"

"There's tens of thousands of years of piloting history, Probably millions of scholars have examined the topic. And you pick the guy sitting next to you at breakfast."

Wes looked unrepentant. "I'm right."

"There's more to being a good pilot than just kills and staying alive," Wedge added. Was he looking at her? "There's also keeping your fellow pilots alive. Fighter piloting is very much a team effort, and bad teamwork will get individual overachievers killed. And frankly, bad luck will too. At the speeds of space combat, you can't see every shot coming. Flying close to capships is a nightmare, because a turbolaser will destroy an X-wing and there's nothing you can do about it."

"So what do you think, Lieutenant Vosa?" Phanan asked.

"I'm, ah, not a pilot of their generation," Krill murmured.

"Still," Phanan prodded. "I'd like your opinion."

Krill frowned. "Well, I suppose to young pilots, the only war that matters is the last one..."

"It's the only war lucky to have me in it," Wes grinned. "So it's clearly superior."

Krill smiled. "Still, all of this is going to be academic in a few years when the next crop of pilots take over. And a thousand years from now, Wedge might rate a footnote in some research paper that three people read, and they?ll have a new Hero With No Fear to crow about and forget."

Falynn was smirking.

"You have something to say, Sandskimmer?" Janson asked.

"Oh, no offense [i]sir[/i]. Can't you hear yourselves? Krill?s moping about being obsolete and forgotten in the future. It's happening already. It?s happening to you."

Wes just stared blankly at her. Wedge slowly raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" he asked.

"Piloting is for the young. You were probably quite good way back when, and of course you?re an excellent trainer, but you and Wedge - your glory days are over."

Other conversations around the table died down, but nobody seemed to want to interrupt Falynn and save her from sure humiliation. Whatever was coming was sure to be entertaining.

"Are they now." Wedge said, resting his face on one hand.

"Age matters. Look at Krill!" Falynn said. "She was commanding A-wings or something, but now she's old and struggling to keep up with us recruits. She might have been as good as me when she was younger. But she's not now, and she knows it. Reflexes get shot. And you're what, forty?"

"I'm twenty-eight, actually," Wedge said, sounding both amused and vaguely regretful. "Janson's twenty-six."

"You're not far from the grim fate of twenty-sixness yourself, Sandskimmer," Wes added.

"Well, Vosa must be sixty."

Everybody looked at Krill. "No comment."

Wedge rolled his eyes. "Vader was flying for around twenty years and at the end of it he would still have been able to vape you with ease."

Falynn snorted. "Crazy evil cyborgs don't count."

"Oh, [i]thanks[/i]." Phanan muttered.

"Falynn, I believe this would be a good time to apologize to your elde

 

Most Underrated - part 4

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/26387589/p1][color=orangered][b]One Sword Rising[/link] by loneastronomer[/b][/color]

?We've already decided that we need spies, strategists and R.O.s. What else do we need??

?Ships, weapons, credits, allies, safehouses, cutting-edge technology,? Jaina rattled off. ?What? Haven't you guys run a war before??

?Allies falls under R.O.s,? Wedge noted, tapping something into his datapad. ?Accountants and procurements. R&D? Techs? And definitely P.R. Eventually, anyway.?

?Couriers,? Leia added with a glance at her husband.

?Oh, goody,? he said. ?A smuggling department. Just what every good government needs.?

?Okay,? Myri said after a moment of typing. ?Any volunteers??

?I volunteer for supply runs,? Han said. ?I get to use reasonable force, right??

?Define 'reasonable,'? Leia murmured.

?Syal and Mirax can do the runs,? Booster overruled. ?I think Wedge has something else in mind for you.?

Wedge was nodding. ?I do. I want you two to head up the recruiting department. People will trust you ? once they have the facts.?

?Getting the facts is my speciality,? Winter allowed. ?I'll be returning to Coruscant after the meeting.?

?Well, that's intelligence done. Admiral, I don't suppose you'd be willing to take control of procurements and strategy??

?I think Mr. Terrik might be better suited to head procurements,? Pellaeon allowed. ?I could be prevailed upon to strategize when the time comes.?

Tahiri spoke up next. ?There's some interesting research going on at Zonama Sekot,? she put in, trading a covert glance with Jaina. ?I can go check that out.?

?Okay,? Wedge said. ?So who wants accounting? Any takers?

?Booster knows all about running a business,? said Mirax. ?So do I, for that matter. But as business owners, we're much more likely to be under scrutiny ourselves already. So we're out, I guess.?

?Dogfight for it?? Wedge addressed this question to both Jaina and Jag.

?Not me,? Jaina said. ?I don't know the first thing about laundering money.? [i]And they don't come much straighter than Jagged Fel.[/i]

?Is it mutiny if I refuse?? Jag wanted to know.

?Ah, come on, Wedge. You'll be great. Inside every good Corellian is an enterprising businessman and all that. Right Leia??

[i]Businessman or smuggler?[/i] Jaina wondered with a smile.

?Wes is never going to let me live this down,? Wedge groaned. ?Come on. Wedge Antilles... Head Accountant??

Even Jag had to snicker at that.

?Alright, well, who's next??

Jaina's mouth hardened into a line. If her plan was going to work, she had to jump in with both feet [i]now[/i]. ?I don't know where you need me, but I know where our first diplomatic mission should head.? [i]Strike at your enemy's heart.[/i]

Eyebrows rose around the table. ?That makes you P.R.,? Wedge warned. ?Or strategy. Maybe both.?

She'd been hoping to get assigned to procurements, but she had wanted to work with Pellaeon on something, as well, so she nodded. ?Fine.? There was silence. She took a deep breath and looked at her parents. ?It's got to be Hapes.?

That caused the commotion she'd been expecting. ?Tenel Ka will never leave the Galactic Alliance,? Han said. ?Not as long as Jacen's acting as her personal bodyguard.?

?Then we have to get him fired,? Jaina snapped. ?Just because nobody else wants to talk about what's going on with my brother doesn't mean I don't see it. And don't underestimate Tenel Ka. She may not leave the GA, but that doesn't mean she won't support us.? The hint of an old smile tugged at a corner of her lips. ?Besides, the day Tenel Ka needs Jacen for a bodyguard is the day the galaxy self-destructs.? [i]Consort, maybe... bodyguard, no chance.[/i]

?Okay.? Everyone breathed a sigh of collective anticipation. ?So where does that leave us??

?What we need is a facilitator. A leader,? Pellaeon pointed out. There was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

He was

 

Best Response To A Challenge

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=24674306&brd=10477&start=24674658]An Alliance at Alida?s[/link] [b][color=orangered]by divapilot[/color][/b]


Mara entered the establishment quietly, her cool gaze appraising the clientele. Judging by their apparent anthropocentrism, at least she didn?t stand out so obviously as a human. Still, it made her uneasy. She doubted that she could stay in the shadows for long, but she would certainly try.

She had answered his invitation with alacrity, simply to avoid anyone developing suspicions about her ambivalent feelings. Knowing she had arrived first made her feel better than having to meet him here. Any way she looked at it, this was going to be tricky, so she was determined to alleviate any potential disadvantages.

She silently took a seat at the bar, an advantageous place where she could continue to observe the others while keeping a wall to her own back. She abhorred feeling unprotected, physically or emotionally. Apathetic lifeforms slouched around the bar, regarding their own libations. No one bothered her with any assumptions about her motive for hiding in the darkened corner of the room. Lucky for them, since in her current mood she was as likely to aerate their torsos with her hold-out blaster as she was to bid them good evening.

A burly man, the archetype of a saloon barkeep, approached her. ?Order, Miss?? he asked brusquely.

She nodded at the expensive wine on the shelf behind him. ?That?s fine, thanks.?

He looked at her astutely, as if trying to place her, then wisely placed the glass in front of her. As she sipped the drink, he began to wipe the drink dispenser assiduously, keeping her in the corner of his eye. That was fine with Mara. Any barkeep who looked out for potential trouble was someone who knew how to stop problems before they started.

She looked up as the door opened, allowing a sudden brilliant slant of light to illuminate the establishment. A blast of hot, arid air swept in behind the new occupant.

She shook her head. Skywalker was getting better at it, but he still didn?t know how to blend in. There was something about that man. He reminded Mara of an avant-garde sculpture in a classical art museum. Still interesting, but not quite the aesthetic that one expected.

Mara rose quietly, tossing a few coins on the counter to augment the tab she had already paid the barkeep. Luke noticed her in the shadows and strode over to her. ?I?m glad you came,? he said.

She took another bolstering sip of her drink. ?Well, I didn?t want to deal with the allegation that I?m unsociable.?

He smiled, and his blue eyes sparkled. Oh stars, don?t do that, she thought, feeling suddenly and surprisingly off-guard.

?Shall we?? he said gallantly. He took her elbow gently, steering her into the lighted main room.

?I can walk all by myself, Skywalker,? she growled.

He laughed again, and she glared. ?You realize that I?m coming along on this anachronistic escapade simply to humor you.?

They entered the main dining area, where they waited for their table. Luke stood behind her, rocking slightly on his heels. She could sense a mischievous intent about him. ?It?s a called a ?date,? Mara. There?s nothing anachronistic about it. People do it all the time.? He leaned over her shoulder. She could feel his breath rustle in her hair. ?I?ve heard that the food here at Alida?s Restaurant is excellent. I?m just trying to put you in a good mood.?

?I?ll be happy if you don?t put me in an asylum by the time tonight is over.?

Their table was soon ready, and Luke was the perfect gentleman, waiting for her to be comfortable before seating himself. He reviewed the menu selections. ?Any favorites?? he asked.

?I like vegetables grown on actual arable soil, not in hydroponics labs. I like real meat, not synthetic substitutes. If it?s avian, it better be cooked all the way through.?

Luke scratched his temple and looked up at her. ?Well, I admi

 

Best Songfic

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=25210701&brd=10477]After All[/link] [color=orangered][b]by WyoJedi[/b][/color]

I?m a Jedi Master, such things shouldn?t happen to the people I love. How could I have failed you? If I had only been there maybe I could have done something. I could have stopped you from becoming infected. I can feel the tears welling up, and I unconsciously wipe away the single teardrop that escapes my eye.

[i]Then I would miss the childhood wish
And haven't I sung to you
Of the knight in armor bright
Faithful and true to you[/i]

Moving to the bed I sit down next to you and softly run my hand over your back, the silky fabric of your nightgown sliding effortlessly underneath my palm. I can hear the pain diminishing as your groan changes to a contented sigh and deep breaths. How blessed my life has been with you in it. For so long I had wished for joy in my life, but I never understood what true happiness was until you took hold of my heart.

My mind drifts away in remembrance of our life together, and after a while I realize that I have stopped the motion of my hand. My eyes move from the position of my hand, along the contour of your back, to the beautiful profile of your face. Instinctively I lean forward and place a soft kiss on your temple.

?I love you, Mara. I always have and I always will.?

[i]Darling, after all
I will be the one to hold you in my arms
After all
I will be the one to hold you
I will be the one to hold you in my arms
In my arms[/i]

Drawing back from my kiss I notice your eyes fluttering open. As you turn toward me I begin to apologize for waking you, but you quickly and quietly hush my words with remarks of your own.

?I love you too, Farmboy.?

My smile is mirrored by your own, but I can tell that there is tension and ache mixed in. I am still amazed at your strength in battling the disease, holding it at bay by your will and the Force. Hastily, yet carefully, I wrap my arms around you and draw you close to me, hoping beyond hope that my embrace will bring some relief, but knowing that it is no cure. I shake slightly as I apologize for things beyond my control.

?I wish there were more I could do, Mara.?

?Just hold me.?

[i]I know in my heart and mind
That no matter, come what may, love will survive
And love, the author of space and time
Keeps the galaxies and each sparrow alive[/i]

As you drift back to sleep I hold you close a few minutes longer. Your nearness, the feel of you against me increases my love for you, strengthens me against the struggles I encounter each day. I laugh at what I call struggles, knowing that what you are going through is much more difficult, yet I am amazed at your fortitude in the face of such great adversity.

Gently I lay you back down on to the bed and you whimper as you cuddle close to the pillows. I pull up the blanket and as I do so my hand brushes against your stomach. Immediately I am overcome with a vision through the Force. I see you and I holding an infant in our arms, surrounded by a bright light I can only describe as? pure joy.

[i]And the love that heals the wound
After the war is through
Is the knight in armor bright
Faithful and true to you[/i]

I stand up once more from the bed and return to the window overlooking the city. The morning has fully broken and the traffic has increased with the brightening day. I turn once again to look at your sleeping form only to find you awake, smiling at me. Turning back to the window I close the curtains, dimming the light entering the room.

As I return to the bed and sit down your arms find there way around my waist and draw me down to lie next to you. I raise my hand and run my fingers through your hair, the same hair I fell in love with the first time I saw you. In the faint light I look into your eyes as you speak to me.

?Don?t worry, Luke. Everything will be all right.?

As your words echo through my mind they are joined by th

 

Best Poem

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25833992/p1/?4]Redemption of Angels[/link] [b][color=orangered]by Mira_Jade[/color][/b]

You speak to me of redemption.

You speak to me of faith.

You call me an angel, fallen from grace.

Fallen . . . .

You call me fallen. Your beautiful, broken, fallen angel.

Yet what could you possibly know of angels?

Then again, what could you know of demons either?

You have never been near the dark.

My perfect princess, the former Queen of my heart.

You have no idea of demons.

If you did then you would never call me 'angel'.

How naive you are . . . .

You speak of angels as if I am some pitiable tragedy.

Tell me though, what about this 'heaven' should I miss?

Should I miss the mediocre everyday?

Should I miss the bowing, the sniveling, the groaning?

No.

Never.

I am forging my own path, away from this heaven where your luminous ideas reside.

I have not fallen.

I am not that way.

I have leapt.

Leapt to enlightenment.

Leapt, and discovered the truth.

They call it 'fallen' that I have leapt for my own glory and not their own.

So don't you dare speak to me of falling.

You have no idea.

I have risen above what I once was. Far, far above you.

You speak to me as if I need saving.

You speak of redemption.

You give me blind adoration.

Your eyes brim with hope, and this thing that you dare to call love.

It's all lies.

And I am tired of playing along.

Your 'redemption' is nothing but a step back to the horrors that I have seen.

Your hope is a desperate thing.

Yet I can't see your wings now, can I?

Your love is laughable, and that is not where I grew my wings.

I will continue to rise, and you will see it as falling.

It doesn't matter anymore.

None of that does.

You will change your tune whan you see the galaxy falling at my feet.

When my wings spread out and cast shadows on the reverant ground beneath me you will know.

And then it will be too late.

So continue to talk about redemption.

Continue to talk about faith.

Call me fallen again.

Take your broken halo back, and keep it tucked away when the fire burns, and the smoke rises.

For that will be your only light.

Yet my question to you is this:

Why would I settle for being an angel, when I have a chance to be God almighty?

There is no redemption for me now.
[hr][hr]
[b][color=orangered][link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=25286084&brd=10477&start=25374748]Locating Page[/link] by Tahi[/color][/b]

This poem, about Judder Page, is an experiment in using the genre of the [u]dramatic monologue[/u]. The text below picks up from where one of Page?s comrades sets out to look for him in a crowd and discovers that it?s as hard to locate the man as it is to define him.

From [b]Locating Page[/b]

That might be him, over there, beside that sign.
Sun?s low now, playing shadow games, but I?d swear . . .

No. Same build though, just a bit on the short side.
Probably won?t be standing by himself either
now I come to think of it. Probably joined
one of those clusters near the front. More his style.
Likes to do his research thoroughly and find out
what the average Joe on the street is thinking.

Funny thing is they won?t realize he?s not a local.
Frustrating thing is, I?m seeing him everywhere

and nowhere. He?s got one of those faces that fit in,
not exactly non-descript ? that sounds too weak.
Mutable? Kind of mask-like maybe. Yeah . . .
Someone told him once he could be an actor.
He laughed; said he might consider it
once the war ended. Can?t recall
which war that was . . .

Damn shadows must be getting into my head.
I can still see his expression as he said that
but do you think I can see his face? I mean,
really see it outside of the obvious features
like eye colour and size of nose . . . and intelligence?
And how can you p

 

Best Crossover - part 1

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[b][color=orangered][link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=24165679&brd=10477]The Wizards' School[/link] by Idrelle_Miocovani[/color][/b]

[i]NOTE: Jaina and Jacen have been at Hogwarts for some time; Jaina is a Gryffindor and Jacen a Ravenclaw. The Force and magic have a strange relationship; for quite some time, until recently, Jaina has been unable to use the Force and now the roles have switched and she can?t use magic. Here, she has slipped into the Ravenclaw common room to talk to Jacen about what is happening to the Force. [/i]

~*~

Jaina sniffed. Her anger and irritation from early that evening was trying to make a come-back, but she didn?t want to talk about Hermione right now. She wanted to spend time with her brother and, most of all, she wanted this idea he had been working on.

?Okay,? Jacen said, ?do you want to know a secret??

Jaina rolled her eyes. ?Sure.?

?I think I?ve got it worked out now.?

?Tell me!? Jaina said eagerly.

Jacen leaned forwards in his seat and began speaking in an undertone. ?I think it?s like this. All right? we know that when we first came here, the Force began acting oddly, but we could still use it. Then you threw that can of paint at Fred ? or was it George? ? and the Force immediately felt better. Right??

Jaina nodded.

?Anyway, then we got here and the Force disappeared We went to our lessons and practiced magic, but we couldn?t feel the Force. Then, all of a sudden, you somehow manage to find it again and everything is good and fine except that you?re in the hospital wing. Then we get to Charms? and you can?t do magic. And then the twin bond goes.?

?And your point is?? Jaina asked, raising an eyebrow.

?Jaya, it?s obvious!? Jacen exclaimed. Several Ravenclaws glanced over in their direction. Jacen made an apologetic expression and turned back to Jaina. ?Think about it,? he said. ?What if the Force and magic are opposites? Like you can?t have one if you have the other sort of thing??

Jaina stared blankly at him. ?Jacen, that doesn?t make any sense.?

Jacen rolled his eyes. ?Yes, it does. Think about it! It?s the logical explanation, if we consider that you haven?t been able to do magic since you got the Force back and when we first got here, the Force was going all funny!? He sighed as Jaina stared at him coldly. ?Okay, it?s not a perfect theory, but it seems to be true!?

Jaina felt like her heart was sinking. Jacen still didn?t make any sense. ?Jace,? she said, her hands gripping the armrests of the chair she was in, ?that doesn?t work because one ? you can use the Force and magic at the same time and two ? if the magic and Force were opposites, that would mean that magic was sort of like an anti-life and therefore we wouldn?t be able to feel all the wizards here at school through the Force. If the Force gives life and is supported by the energy of living things, magic, as its opposite, would kill and living things shouldn?t be able to do magic.?

Jacen pursed his lips. He was looking guilty. ?Jaya, there?s something I didn?t tell you that I probably should have.?

?Oh??

?I can?t use the Force.?

?WHAT?!? Jaina yelled and immediately received angry looks from all of the Ravenclaw students in the common room.

?Keep it down!? a prefect called.

?Sorry,? Jaina replied, glancing at the prefect. She turned back to Jacen. ?What do you think you?re doing?? she hissed. ?We should be trying to [i]counter[/i] magic, not replacing the Force with it!?

Jacen shrugged. ?I [i]like[/i] magic,? he explained. ?If I can get really experienced, it could be really useful. And besides, while we?re stuck here it?s not like I can practice with the Force.?

?Jacen??

?Don?t pull that one on me, Jaya,? Jacen snapped, suddenly irritated. ?This is my decision. I?ve tried my best to work out what?s happening with the Force, but since you?re not accepting it, that?s all I can do. But I still think that even if they aren?t opposites, you can

 

Best Crossover - part 2

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[b][color=orangered][link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/24501664/p1] Gods of Dark and Light[/link] by Darth_Marrs [/color][/b]

?That will be dealt with in moments,? Fel said. ?Orient the ship for escape velocity, and then bring the main drive and cradle booster drives online.?

?Kyle felt nothing more than a tickle in his stomach as the entire ship [i][Lusankya][/i] turned on its heel, with its nineteen kilometer distant nose pointing directly at the sky.

Below, hundreds of thousands of Ori soldiers vaporized instantly under the overwhelming plasma of thirteen separate drive nozzles, each as large as a frigate in their own right. Whole buildings ceased to exist, and the backwash of the thrust rushed over the surface of the planet for over two hundred square kilometers, killing everything in a wave of fire. Ekria closed her eyes and fought back a tear as she felt not just soldiers die, but civilians as well. So many people.

Kyle did not notice or care. Through the transparisteel windows of the bridge, in the far distance, he could see the faint silhouettes of Ori ships in orbit, waiting for them. ?They?re not going to let us go without a fight,? he said.

?Then let?s give them one,? Fel said. ?All ahead, full!?

The [i]Lusankya surged[/i] upward with the inevitable force of a hundred thousand billion kilograms of thrust. Sensing their targets approaching, Kyle turned his attention back to the batteries of turbolasers slaved to his station. The others did as well. ?I got the one on the right,? Kyle said.

?I?ll take the center,? Ekria said.

Kir nodded, knowing to target the left.

Three slaved sets of 1,400 turbolasers each took aim on the three ships, each set targeting with the precision only made capable through computer targeting and Jedi instinct. Before the [i]Lusankya[/i] was even out of the stratosphere, it began firing back at the Ori ships in orbit. Fourteen hundred bolts struck each of the three Ori ships in perfect time, wave after wave of green destructive energy many times what even an Imperial class star destroyer could deliver.

?Naturally, it was while the dreadnought was perched precariously between the remnants of a Golan II orbital defense station and what appeared to be the keel of a destroyed ISD that five Ori destroyers appeared from hyperspace.

?Oh Sithspit,? Kyle muttered.

The five ships immediately fired. Five beams of white death streaked across the heavens toward the [i]Lusankya[/i], and promptly impacted the debris of the defense station and the keel of the destroyer, and thousands of other pieces of debris floating in orbit.

?More ships coming out of hyperspace!? a voice called. ?Unknown configuration!?

The ships emerging looked almost amphibian in design, with a rounded forward hull and two large perpendicular fins in the aft section set aside two thrusters. Four of them emerged from hyperspace almost within the debris field itself, exhibiting incredible navigational control Kyle had never seen before.

And then he saw the impossible. The four ships took up positions in front of the [i]Lusankya[/i] just as the Ori vessels achieved a clear line of fire. The five Ori destroyers fired directly at the alien vessels.

As the crew of the [i]Lusankya[/i] watched on the holographic tactical display, the new vessels absorbed the impact of the five ships on rounded, transparent shields. But then they saw the exchange was not without cost. Two of the alien vessels began listing immediately while two others returned fire with an unknown beam weapon.

?Fire on the destroyers,? Fel ordered. ?All weapons. Fire missiles. Fire everything we have.?

The bright white beams of the alien vessels were joined by thousands of green turbolaser bolts and missiles from the Lusankya. The sheer power of the onslaught physically pushed the attacking Ori ships out of position. One of the five on the end began to darken as the combined shields weakened.

?Another ship

 

Best Short Story - part 1

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=25848196&brd=10477&replies=59]The Sadder but Wiser Girl for Me[/link] [color=orangered][b]by redtenko[/b][/color]

Corran Horn could feel the pressure in his mind gaining weight the closer he got to the [i]Wilde Karrde[/i]. Strong echoes of something his senses couldn?t define whirled around through the Force. He couldn?t help but wonder how long Mara?s barriers could hold in such power.

He didn?t know what to expect when he entered Karrde?s office. Corran certainly hadn?t expected to find Mirax behind the desk, greeting him with an ironic wave, then finger to her lips. She was still tipsy, using her foot to swivel the seat back and forth. His mind briefly ventured to Booster, and how much the old smuggler would enjoy the image of his daughter in Karrde?s big chair.

Karrde himself was mid-sentence, standing firmly but not imposingly in front of Mara on the couch. ??of course I could wait for the morning news, but I?d rather hear the real story from you, instead of Calibop gossip from all corners of the HoloNet!?

Mara stared up at her boss with weary looking eyes. ?I?d rather you hear it from me, too,? she said, her almost imploring voice strong and clear. ?But I don?t want to talk about it right now.?

?Do you think you?ll want to talk about it when the press?s warped version of whatever happened at that party hits the feeds? You?ll clam up more than ever!? Karrde was beside himself. He was an information smuggler; knowledge was his life-force. Ordinarily he kept his curiosity in line and out of his employee?s personal lives, but the prospect of never knowing what troubled his friend left him entirely exasperated.

Almost anxiously he watched Mara shake her head, her fingers moving up to her scalp, further disrupting an already loose braid.

?I can?t help you if I don?t know what?s going on.?

?I don?t need help, I need to think?? Mara insisted, and Corran knew she was wrong. She may not want help, but she did need it, just like anybody else.

?Or perhaps you?d like to shout some more?? Karrde countered, probably referring to the ?all men can go to Kessel? insult ordinarily so unlike Mara.

She seemed about to retort, but with a pained look, Mara released the breath she?d been holding and let her arms fall limply against her legs. ?I?m sorry, that was out of line,? she muttered.

?It?s also not important if there?s a real problem here,? Karrde reminded her. ?But, whatever Skywalker did can?t be that bad. As far as I?ve heard he hasn?t turned Sith, or dented your ship. And surely he didn?t kill the Emperor [i]again?[/i]?

Corran winced at the spark of rage he felt through the Force as Mara sprang to her feet, green eyes blazing as she glared down the taller man. Over the years she?d developed a precarious sense of humor about her past, but was in no mood to hear a joke about it now, even if there wasn?t any judgment in the words. He could feel Karrde?s instant regret, and hoped the furious woman felt it too. The Master Trader usually always said the right thing, but a certain redhead had set a lot of people out of sorts tonight.

?Luke asked her out,? Corran heard himself explain just as Mara opened her mouth to shout. She and Karrde whirled round to stare at him, although Corran highly doubted he?d gone unnoticed by both before that moment.

?What do you mean, ?out??? Karrde?s eyebrows furrowed. ?Like on a date, that kind of out??

Mara?s immediate blush raced down her face and disappeared under her already red tunic. She dropped back onto the couch with a [i]plop[/i] and he had his answer. At the end of the room, Mirax smothered a giggle in her hand.

Karrde looked from Mara to the woman in his chair and back around again to Corran?who could only shrug and try to reign in his smugness.

?[i]That?s[/i] what this is all about?? Karrde could barely believe it. The corners of his lips were twitching, and he seemed ready to laugh but smartly h

 

Best Short Story - part 2

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/message.aspx?topic=25329231]Jedi Adept: Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts[/link] [color=orangered][b]by Kidan[/b][/color]

Tahiri lets out a scream of pain. It is a writhing agony that shoots out from her pelvis wrapping around her body. Every nerve from her head to her toes burns with it.

Sweat covers her body, causing the thin hospital gown to cling to her. Her legs ache from being in the stirrups for hours on end, her body twisted, granting access to her most private parts to the medical droids as they float and cluck to themselves.

The wave of pain recedes, and Tahiri leans back.

The droid hovering between her legs speaks soothing words, words in a language which Tahiri doesn?t understand.

The wave of pain comes again, slashing across her. The intense pressure building, demanding she push.

She grabs hold of the cushioned metal bars beside her bed, handgrips for just this purpose, squeezing them as pain pushes her higher than she could ever conceive of going.

She lets out another growl of pain, as the bar to her right squeals with the sound of overstressed metal.

Again, the pain slides away, granting her a brief respite. She leans back again, still panting. One of the droids places ice chips on her tongue.

Tahiri closes her eyes as she considers the fact that the traditional spot for the father of her child is being taken by a droid.

[i]Anakin, why did you have to die?[/i]

It is an old pain, one she has been suffering with for the entire pregnancy. The Tusken in her despairs, her life-mate is gone ? never to hold her child, never to hold her.

The Yuuzhan Vong in her cries out in her anger at the gods for taking away her lover.

Then the pain once more washes over her, driving all thoughts away.

?Itlack? The droid?s command is harsh and demanding.

And Tahiri can only hope it means ?push.?

For that is what she does. As she pushes, the pressure builds, reaching a crescendo as her body stretches beyond what the fifteen year old Jedi would ever believed possible.

The pain crests for a moment, and then washes in again, not giving her a respite.

Her body demands that she push again, and she does.

Finally the pressure passes, her body shakes at the exertion, and she lets out a small gasp.

A few moments later, she hears the tiny wailing cry of her newborn. She collapses back against the bed, her sweat-slicked hair sticking to her forehead.

The droid gently lays the babe in Tahiri?s arm, and pulls down her gown, directing Tahiri through gestures on how she should nurse.

Tahiri watches as the baby begins to suckle. In the background the droid floats away, shifting the bed slightly to lower Tahiri?s legs as it leaves.

Grateful to be able to closer her legs, she lets out a small sound of relief, half sigh, half moan.

Then finally all of her attention is focused on the small life from her womb.

The end result of that single night on the [i]Exquisite Death[/i] with Anakin. Images and sounds from that night flicker through her mind. The ancient Tusken ceremony, the symbolic words they both whispered to one another. Then what they did afterwards ? the consummation of their marriage.

She reaches down and unwraps the newborn from the swaddling clothes, tears coming to her eyes as a tiny fist flails in the air. Tahiri gives a half-laugh, half sob, as she tucks the blanket back around her child?s body.

She closes her eyes, and gently blows out her breath, feeling complete for the first time since Anakin died. She glances down at her daughter, her eyes lighting with life and joy, even as she wonders how this small being can make such a huge difference in how she feels.

Before long, the baby stops drinking, and drifts off to sleep, a gentle contentment rolls of the child in the Force, and Tahiri smiles happily as well, the exertions of the past eighteen hours of labor finally taking their toll as she slowly drifts off to sle

 

Best Epic - part 1

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[color=orangered][b][link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/23403407] Not My Father?s Son[/link] by VaderLVR64 [/b][/color]

Mon asked quietly, ?Was he really Anakin Skywalker??

?Yes, he was,? Sabé answered.

?You?re sure?? Mon asked, frowning.

?Quite sure,? Sabé told her. ?There?s no doubt in my mind.?

?I thought maybe?? Mon shrugged. ?I don?t know what I thought.?

?It?s quite a concept to grasp,? Sabé agreed. ?But if you knew Anakin, it all makes a strange kind of sense, I think.?

?I didn?t know him,? Mon said softly. ?But I have trouble thinking that Padmé loved that?creature.? A slight shudder ran through her.

?He?s not a monster,? Sabé assured her. ?He?s done great evil, I won?t deny that. But I think he?s trying to put right at least [i]some[/i] of those wrongs by negotiating with the Alliance.?

?Or he could just be trying to get us in his grasp and then squash us just as he did the Jedi,? Mon pointed out reasonably.

Sabé considered that possibility for a moment and then shook her head. ?No, I don?t think so.?

Mon studied her for a moment and then asked, ?Do you think you can be objective about this? About [i]him[/i]? You served the woman he loved, the woman who loved him. That gives you a different perspective, I?m sure you?ll agree.?

?I know what he once was,? Sabé said. ?And I know what he became, the creature who did the Emperor?s bidding without mercy or thought. The man you?re dealing with now is somewhere in-between. Certainly I wouldn?t say he?s a?[i]good[/i] man.? She reached out and took Mon?s hand. ?But perhaps he can be forgiven. His son has managed.?

?But not his daughter,? Mon observed.

Sabé laughed and shook her head. ?No, not Leia. Not yet anyway.? She glanced at Mon and grinned. ?She?s got too much of her father in her to give in so easily.?

?It eats at her,? Mon said. ?The fact that Vader is her father.?

?It does,? Sabé murmured. ?I?d like to help her, but she?ll have to work through all of that on her own.?

?Will Vader wait?? Mon asked.

?He will, if only for his love of her mother,? Sabé replied.

?Did she love him? I mean, did Padmé truly love Anakin Skywalker??

?More than you can know,? Sabé answered sadly. ?Enough to break the tenets of the Jedi Order and marry him.?

?That was unlike her,? Mon agreed. ?There must have been something powerful at work to make her risk it all like that.?

?She married a man she had no right to love, sent him off to war and put a smile on her face just as if her heart wasn?t there on the front lines,? Sabé said quietly. ?I can?t imagine the courage it took.?

?He loved her?? Mon asked softly.

?Worshipped is more the word,? Sabé replied with a little laugh. ?His eyes used to follow her, hungry and adoring at the same time. I was always surprised that no one else picked up on it ? not even his Master.?

?Obi-Wan Kenobi,? Mon murmured. ?He trained Anakin, yes??

?Trained him?loved him,? Sabé told her. ?Padmé told me that much. How it all went so horribly wrong, I don?t know, but I do know that Palpatine would have done whatever it took to turn Anakin.? She sat down wearily. ?Unfortunately, whatever he said or did?it worked. And Anakin became? I don?t know what he became.?

?And now??

?Now? Now I think that Anakin is struggling to come to life inside that armor. Discovering that his children lived has resurrected the man who once was ? and if that man can succeed?? She shrugged. ?Well, the possibilities are endless.?

?What do you think Padmé would make of this offer?? Mon asked.

?She would take it ? [i]if[/i] it was good for the galaxy,? Sabé answered. ?But only then, she would have put their needs above her own.?

?You?ve given me much to think about,? Mon said and moved to leave.

?Padmé knew he had weaknesses, her biggest fault was in thinking that she alone could save him from his own darkness.?

?He was not hers to save,? Mon said.

?No,? Sabé agreed. ?He

 

Best Epic - part 2

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/20329826/p1/?1361][color=orangered][b]Lest Ye Be Judged[/link] by DarthIshtar[/b][/color]

[i]Note: The Jedi have demanded that, as part of Anakin Skywalker's penitence, he must tell Leia what happened on the second Death Star and then let her decide if she forgives him for that. This is the section identifying Vader?s reasons for threatening her in the first place.[/i]

His hand had reached for hers, but stopped short as if her skin could sear his. She reached for his fingers to reassure him that she was not going to do anything drastic, but he drew back abruptly. She did not question why, only let her hand flatten against her kneecap.

?All right,? she said quietly. ?I?m listening.?

He nodded almost distractedly and she could hear his breathing quicken for just a moment before he seemed to get his bearings. Finally, he clenched his hands and then released his fists.

?Neither I nor your brother has been...entirely honest with you in regards to Endor,? he said with painful formality.

She had to work very hard to keep her mind from jumping to conclusions, but the fact that he was trying to stall for time did nothing to help her nerves.

?Luke said you threatened me,? she recalled the testimony. ?Is this about that??

Father nodded jerkily, looking, if possible, more apprehensive than before. ?I could show you in the...?

?No,? she said emphatically. ?Whatever you have done, I want it put into words.?

Now he looked as if he was about to fidget himself to death, but remained almost perfectly still by some kind of self-control. Again, his fists clenched and released and she fought valiantly to keep herself from getting angry. She suspected that it would be a futile gesture once he got around to admitting what he had done.

?I was desperate,? he said at last. ?That does not excuse it, but it will explain in part how far I was willing to go. After all, Palpatine wanted Luke as a Sith or a corpse and there was no middle ground. I was too weak to join Luke, but at the same time, I could not bring myself to turn him to the Dark Side myself. He was right in thinking that I was fighting a war against the man I had been, but I could not afford to let either of the men in the throne room know that.

?After a time, I realized that I could not survive unless Luke chose the darkness. I also realized that I had to...guide him onto the path before Anakin Skywalker reasserted his side of the story.?

?So you threatened me,? she prompted.

He nodded. ?I had to prey on his weaknesses,? he stated, ?and the greatest one I knew of was his devotion to his friends. It is what brought him to Bespin and when I saw the both of you at Ketaris, I knew that he would go into that kind of danger for you again.?

It was her hands that clenched this time, but she barely noticed the gesture. ?That?s not the worst of it,? she accused. ?You would have put him through...?

A flood of memories assaulted her, sucking the air from her lungs and making it feel as if she were about to drown in their current.

[i]?Leia, hear me. Leia...?

The fear that had made her scream out to Luke in the corridors of Bespin returned, redoubled by the incomprehensible danger to the man who had been more than a best friend and less than a brother to her.

The heartbeat that raced impossibly faster than the ship back to the underbelly of Cloud City.

The vague clanging and thumping of a rescue that could go wrong at every moment. The fact that had she not been paying attention to her own jumbled thoughts, she would not have been there to make the rescue at all.

The agonized gasp from both of them as they wrapped around each other, anchoring themselves to the one familiar thing left to them.[/i]

?You...? she stammered, suddenly breathless. ?You would have done that to him again??

?As Vader, yes,? he said in kind.

And that was not the worst of it.

She could not even bring herself

 

Best Vignette

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[hr]
[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/26365790/p1/?14][color=orangered][b]A Moment[/link] by ginchy [/b] [/color]

[i] ?A Moment? explores Luke and Ben Skywalker amidst the turbulence of their hectic lives.[/i]

**

A message popped up on the screen from Mara, filling him in on her classes and meetings for the day, asking that he make sure Ben was set for his meditation class in the late afternoon, his least favorite. ?[i]Skywalker impatience[/i],? she typed. ?[i]Can?t sit still[/i].? Luke smiled. ?[i]Jade stubbornness[/i],? he countered. ?Won?t [i]sit still[/i].? ?[i]Hm. Class starting. Stop distracting me, Farmboy,[/i]? she responded and Luke?s smile grew. ?Mom?s out most of the day,? he said aloud, closing their conversation window.

The boy still didn?t answer, and Luke raised his eyes to see him pouring even more cereal into his bowl. Ben seemed in that moment to be all feet, legs, arms, and mouth as he reclined in his seat, shoveling in more food. With each passing day, as his body slimmed from that of a boy?s into a man, he looked more and more like Luke, red hair and Mara?s nose notwithstanding. When Luke looked at him he could see himself and Mara, but also things uniquely Ben, the way he held himself, the part in his hair, the small mole near his eyebrow. But seeing himself in Ben was easy, the chin, the eyes, the same look of determination that faced himself in the mirror every morning. It often made him wonder what Aunt Beru had seen when she looked at him. His own father? Or perhaps even his mother? He would never know.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he continued with his breakfast and punched out a few ideas to share later at the meeting of Masters?. So many small things seemed available to squabble over, and he wondered what it would take to cease the endless round of meetings and hushed inner-office talks. Sight of the Force was being lost in these endless round-and-rounds, and Luke feared--

??leaving?? Ben?s bowl clattered into the sink.

?I?m sorry, son. What did you say?? Luke asked, pressing the key to save his document.

Ben sighed. ?I asked when you were leaving,? he said slowly.

?Oh,? Luke looked at Ben speculatively. ?Not for another hour, I think. And I?ll be back later to make sure you?re ready for meditation with Master Solusar.?

?Great,? Ben groaned. ?I wish Jacen were here. I like his lessons better.?

?Jacen can?t teach you everything, Ben.?

?Yoda taught you everything, practically,? Ben disagreed.

While it wasn?t technically true, Luke wasn?t going to argue it. ?Times were different. You have the opportunity to learn from many different sources, not just your cousin.?

?My Master,? Ben said, chin lifting.

Luke let that slide. ?Speaking of your cousin, when will he return??

Ben dropped back against the wall. ?He didn?t say. Soon, I hope.?

?Hm. Me too, I know Han and Leia miss him.?

?Yeah. So you?re leaving in an hour??

Luke glanced at the chrono on the wall. ?Actually, I was thinking of maybe wondering down and looking in on the five-year-olds. Tionne mentioned that she thought they?d like to see me.?

?Whatever,? Ben sighed.

?What?s that mean?? Luke asked, taking a sip of his caf to hide the frown on his face.

?Nothing,? he grumbled. ?Just? Nothing.? He turned and walked out of the kitchen. Luke?s brows knit together as he heard Ben?s favorite hologame flicker on, and the rough sound of Ben?s handling of the game?s controls.

?Ben?? he called, walking out into the living room. Ben didn?t look up from his game control, still savagely pressing the buttons, scowl set on his face. ?Ben, what?s wrong??

?Dad. I said its nothing.?

Waves rolled over Luke from his son in the Force, short, sharp spikes of anger, mottled and layered with deep pangs of? ache. Luke flinched. ?I don?t think it?s ?nothing? with what you?re broadcasting, son.?

Immediately, Ben threw up weak shields. ?Don?t DO that,? he snarled, throwing down his

 

Best Series - part 1

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/24326291/p1][b][color=orangered]The Thoughts that Count[/link] by divapilot[/color][/b]

From ?Inheritance?
[b]Water[/b]

Luke traced his fingertips along the cool water that rippled at the shore. He raised his head, stood up, and gazed across the pristine lake. The gentle waves soaked the hem of his tan robes and washed over his boots.

He stood there silently for several minutes, observing the way the sunlight skittered across the water, how the sounds echoed faintly from the verdant forest.

He said later that it helped him understand her. This interplay of water and light must have been her essence. His mother must have carried the beauty of this lake on Naboo in her heart.



From ?Sacrifice?
[b]Shattered [/b]

Leia can?t understand why her heart didn?t stop beating when Anakin?s did. She felt pain when he entered this life, but nothing like the pain when he left it.

She drops to her knees and stares upward, toward the cold, unfeeling stars that have demanded so much, so very much, from her.

She screams at them in her mind. You took my world in exchange for my husband. You took my heritage in exchange for a brother. But nothing can compensate for this sacrifice, for my child, my son.

The stars, distant and brittle as shattered glass, offer no response.



From ?Skyscapes?
[b]White[/b]

Mara gunned the whining engine far beyond its capacity, and the small craft jinked to port. The searing glare of the sun momentarily blinded her before the canopy automatically adjusted the tint.

Below her, Coruscant sparkled with late-day life. Skywalker was there, somewhere. She felt his presence.

[i]Why is it that no matter what I?m doing, eventually I think of him? [/i]

The white glare blasted her vision again as she readjusted altitude. Brilliant sunrays reflected off the engine hood. She squinted involuntarily.

[i]Why can?t I get Skywalker off my mind? [/i]

Suddenly everything became clear.

She sighed. [i]Because I love him. [/i]


[b]Black [/b]

?Trader Jade, you are gorgeous.? Luke stared intently at her.

Mara smiled smugly. Her gown, black as the late night sky above them, did the trick. Throughout the reception, she sensed him watching her. Finally alone, they had quietly slipped to a secluded balcony overlooking the manicured gardens.

She turned away to look at the ebony sky, its stars glimmering like jewels. Suddenly, she felt his hand on her bare back. She sensed his hesitation, then resolve. His lips grazed the back of her neck, trailing to her collarbone. She trembled.

?Mara, I wasn?t talking about the dress,? he murmured.



From ?Legend (Ben Introspection)
[b]Steer by the Stars [/b]

Most people know my mother was a dancer, but few knew that my father could dance, too. I watched them once, drifting to unheard music, when they thought I was sleeping. They moved in perfect synchronization to an archaic waltz, hip to hip, arms extended across each other.

In that moment, there was only the two of them. They weren?t Jedi masters, historical figures, public guardians, or even my parents. They were a man and a woman, fingers interlocked, moving closer with each imagined beat. The peaceful evening spun softly around them and they seemed to steer by the stars.


[b]Shake the Heavens [/b]

I choose to remember when joy was like a loyal friend. I decided long ago to hold the kind words and blessings close in my heart, and to set loose the hurt and indignation. They do me no benefit and they diminish me.

Perhaps that?s why I cannot clearly recall the angry words and bitter accusations that came about toward the end. Instead, I remember that summer evening when my family lay outside at night at our campsite, the sky so close that it seemed I could reach up, shake the heavens, and the stars would rain down upon us.


[b]The Path and the Walker[/b]

Each person hopes that in the bleakest wi

 

Best Series - part 2

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[hr]
[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25477214][b][color=orangered]The Last Dance[/link] by RedGold[/color][/b]

[b]Author?s Note: This series of vigs are posted on holiday?s only, and the events taking place correspond to that holiday. This post was posted on Christmas, and the GFFA holiday was the Midwinter Festival. The overall plot line is Luke and Mara in an AU universe meeting up on these holidays for romantic liaisons.[/b]


"You should get out there and dance, Luke," his sister goaded him, though she was hard to take seriously with the wings on her back and bells on her shoes.

Han laughed, "Remember last time he danced at a big costume ball?"

Groaning he turned away and stared out over the ballroom. It was time for the Midwinter Festival, a throwback from where there was actually a winter on Coruscant, but when the center of the holiday is dressing up as the Midwinter Gods, one of which gives children toys, the other alcohol to adults, it wasn't hard to see why it was still a popular holiday.

"That is true," Leia replied thoughtfully though he knew she wore a grin on her face, "can't have him picking up more strange women and taking them home..."

"She was not strange," he turned around and growled out, "just a stranger."

"But you were good friends afterwards," Han gave a wink and patted his shoulder. "We're just teasing ya, kid. It's great you actually let loose for a night, it did you good."

He tried to come up with something to say, but couldn't. Even though his mysterious Mara had left him after that night of passion he had felt more vitalized than ever, and he had a feeling that he would be seeing her again soon.

"Come on, Preeni Pi," Han took his wife's hand which was covered in bangles, her costume being that of the midwinter goddess of goodwill who brings presents to good little children, her costume complete with wings, bells, and a dangly hat, "let's go raid the buffet table now that the Bothan's have left."

"And just what will you raid, Baccuri Ti?" she teased Han, him wearing the brown robes of the god of wine and merriment.

The couple sidled off and Luke smiled at them. They were happy, in love and a future ahead of them. One day that would be him, but first he needed to complete the work on the new Academy and train the Force sensitive students that he had recently located.

There was one Force sensitive that he wanted to find again... and his heart almost stopped when he her saw standing across the room. She was dressed similarly from before, a figure hugging green thin strapped dress with a slit up the side to show off her shapely legs.

Her face may have been covered by the mask of Doreena Da, but he knew every inch of that body.

* * *

There was no mission today, no need to sneak around amongst the rebels, but here she was. Why? Because she knew he would be here, she had read about it as they boasted about this year's midwinter festival, and how it would be an event to remember...

She only remembered him, Luke Skywalker, and no matter what she tried she could not get the imprint of him off her body or soul.

"A dance, milady?" an unmistakable request.

"Do you dance?" she coolly teased as she turned around.

He was even more handsome in the light, no mask to cover his twinkling eyes. Dressed as the god of knowledge and remembrance he was once again tapered out in a long jacket, this one dark blue with the silver symbols of Aterious Ys.

"I have been known to," he just as coolly replied, "from time to time."

She lifted up her hand, gesturing him to start the dance, "And when was the last time you danced?"

"It was awhile back," he gently guided her to the dance floor, "had an amazing partner."

"Was she now?" she was having too much fun now, both of them dancing around the obvious as they loosely embraced and slowly twirled to the beat.

"She had her... moments," he stopped any retort by dipping her suddenly. His breath was hot on the exposed parts o